Desk pad



y 1929- R. B. LARTER 1.720.682

DESK PAD Filed July 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 16,1929. R B. LARTEyq 1.720.682

DESK PAD Filed July 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w i l l i g I 1 i I I 1 I II I l l 1 i l I i Q: l l I 3 I l I I g I I l i l: i I ll 1 i 1 I 7 I J: 20% 1:- L4.- E I:- Q

I pad, etc.

Patented July'16, 1929.

RAYMOND B. LARTER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DESK PAD.

Application filed July 13,

This invention has to do with desk pads and has among its general objects to provide a sightly, serviceable pad havingasuperior top surface for backing up sheets of 5 writing paper.

In the base of the pad are provided compartments for the reception of articles commonly used about a desk, for instance, a ruler, scissors, envelope opener, memorandum The compartments open to that edge of the pad which faces the desk user, the articles contained therein thus being always readily accessible. The advantages of thus being able to keep frequently used desk articles normally in a position of concealment, so they are not left strewn in an unsightly manner about the desk, and yet being able to lay hands on them instantly when occasion for their use arises, are self-evldent and need not be gone into here.

. Preferably, there are provided hinged closures for the article holding compartments, to prevent the entrance and accumulation of dust and dirt.

However, these provisions for receiv ng and concealing desk articles, in no way impair the efficiency of the device as a desk pad, nor do they detract from the sightliness thereof.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will be made apparent in the fol-, lowing detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawlngs, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of adesk pad embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentarysectlon on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedfragmentary plan view of the forward edge of the pad, with the article-compartment cover opened;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the base plate of the pad and certain elements associated therewith;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 99 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section on line 10-10 of Fig. 6.

I have illustrated and will describe the in- 1925. Serial No. 48,184.

vention embodied in 'a pad which includes a metal base, but it will be understood the invention, considered in its broader aspects, is not limited to such a base, for a wood or fiber construction may be substituted.

The rectangular base of the pad is designated generall by numeral 10 and is made up of vertica ly spaced plates, the lower plate being designated at 11 and the upper at 12. Upper plate 12 is formed with a centrally depressed portion 13 adapted to take a sheet 15 of hand-surface material, which, for purposes of description, I will term a writing pad. The writing pad may be of any suitable material such as glass, and it will be noted that its top is substantially flush with the top of base 10. I also find linoleum to'be especially well adapted to the purpose, as it has a sufliciently hard surface to provide proper backing for writing paper and yet is not too slick.

The edges of the top plate are preferably inclined downwardly at 16 to give a pleasing marginal appearance to the base. I will term inclined portion 16 and that part 17 of the upper plate which extends horizontally from said inclined portion to the vertical defining wall 18 of depressed portion 13, as a hollow rectangular frame. The writing pad is preferably of a thickness to bring its upper surface flush with the top face of the frame.

Inclined portions 16 preferably have vertical marginal flanges 19, the lower edge of which is adapted to be soldered or otherwise suitably secured to plate 11.

Plate 11 has stiffening corrugations 20 which serve to support upper plate 12 in proper spaced relation with the lower plate, as. will be readily understood. The corrugations may additionally serve as partitions between article storage compartments C within the base. Preferably, however, I utilize inverted channels 21 as compartment defining walls, one flange 22 of each channel being soldered or otherwise suitably secured to an associated corrugation. By this construction I am able to space the corrugations uniformly and yet, by properly proportioning the channels, obtain compartments of varying width. Filler strips 23 may be inserted between the plate 12 and the tops of corrugations to fill such spaces as exist where the channel webs do not engage the top plate. p

As is evident from the drawings, the lower edges of the flanges of channels 21 engage the lower plate 11, while the upper faces of the channel webs engage the underslde of upper plate 12, the channels thus comprising H horizontally spaced "members positioned to support the upper plate intermediate its edges.

One edge of the base -irame- 1s cut away at 24 to expose the outer end of compartments C, though I preferably provide a cover or drop 25, hinged by pins 26 pro ectingfrom the flanges of the outermost corrugations for normally covering said ex- '1 any desired number and of any desired dimensions, they being proportioned to take articles commonly used about a desk. Merely as illustrative of what the compartments may be designed to take, I have shown therein a rider 217, an erasing knife 28, pad

29 on metal holder 30, (Fig. 10), shears 81 and envelope opener 32. Preferably, there are provided article stops 33 (which may be straps secured to and extending between a, channels 21) to insure that when said articles are fully inserted in given compartmentstheir forward ends project from beneath the top plate suiliciently to allow the user to easily and readily grasp them.

lVhen the writing pad is of glass, users often desire to insert papers therebeneath, for reasons well known. Therefore, in order that the pad may be easily lifted from the depression in the topplate, I may provide 1 a lifting device therebeneath, said device being operable from the forward edge of'the pad frame. For instance, I have shown a key made up of a rod 34 rotatably secured to platell byclip 35 and having at one end an angularly disposed handle 36which is accessible when, cover 25 is raised. The other end of the rod is bent upwardlyat37 and extends through slots 38 in the associated channel web and top plate, being further bent to provide an arm 39 adapted to lie normally in a plane beneath and parallel to pad 15. By swinging handle 36 to rotate rod 35, arm 39 is swung upwardly and lifts the forward edge of the glass out of the depression in the top plate, whereupon papers may be slipped beneath the glass, or the glass may be easily grasped and removed entirely from the depression.

Felt pads 40 may be provided on the under side ofplate 11 to prevent the device from marring the surface upon which it may be laid;

It will be'understood the drawings and description are to be considered merely as illustrative of and not restrictive on the broader claims appended hereto, for various changes in design structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of said claims.

I claim: I

1. In an article of the character described, abase' having a depression in its upper face, a writing pad on top the base and positioned in said recess, the top of the pad being substantially flush with the top of the base, and a member operable fromaside edge of the base and adapted to be operated to lift the pad from said depression.

2. In an article of the character described, a base including two vertically spaced rigid slates and corru 'ations in the lower late l z:

andextending upwardly in a mannerto divide the space between the plates into a plurahty of article-receiving compartments,

said compartments opening to one of the base edges.

8. In an article of the character described, a base including two verticallyspaced rigid plates, corrugations in the lower plate and extending upwardly in a manner to divide the space between the plates into a plurality of articlereceiving compartments,-said compartments opening to one of the base edges, and a movable closure for the compartment openings.

1. In an article of the character described,

a base including two vertically spaced rigid plates, and-horizontally spaced members on the lower plate intermediate itsedges and extending upwardly into contact with the upper plate in a manner to support the' latter at points intermediate its edges, said members embodying channels with their webs in contact with onset the plates and the edges of their flanges in contact with the other plate. 1 j

5. In an article of the character, described, a base including two vertically spaced plates, and horizontally spaced members on the lower plate intermediate its edges and eX- tending upwardly into contact with theup per plate in manner to support the latter at points intermediate its edges, an edge of the base being cut away togive access-to one of the spaces between the members.

6. In an article of the character described,

a base including two vertically spaced plates, and horizontally spaced members on the lower plate intermediate its edgesand extending upwardly into contact with-the upper plate in a manner to support the latter at points intermediate its edges, an edge of the base being cutaway to give access to one of the spaces between the members; and a movable closure on the base for covering the cut-away portion of the base edge. 7. Inan-art1cleof the character described,

a base having a depression in its upper face, a writing pad on top the base and ositioned in said recess, the top of the pad ing substantially flush with the top of the base, and means applied to the base and adapted to be operated to lift the pad from said depression, said means being characterized as a rod mounted for rotation with respect to the base, a member extending angularly from the rod and disposed beneath the ad, and means accessible at the edge of the base for rotating said rod to rotate said member upwardly against said pad.

In witness that I claim the for oing I have hereunto subscribed my name 29th day of May, 1925.

RAYMOND B. LARTER. 

